Ghatowar confident of win

- Rush to file nomination papers

OUR BUREAU

March 21: DoNER minister Paban Singh Ghatowar today said the Congress would fare better than the previous elections in Assam and win by a huge margin.

“This time we will win by a huge margin and our result will be better than the previous elections,” Ghatowar told reporters here after filing his nomination papers in front of Dibrugarh deputy commissioner Aruna Rajoria.

His supporters took out a rally from the old Government High School field to the venue.

The DoNER minister said the votes of the tea gardens would not be divided. “The tea community trusts the Congress and they will vote for the party.”

He, however, added: “We are not taking other parties lightly because both candidates from the BJP (Rameswar Teli) and AGP (Anup Phukan) are former MLAs from their respective constituencies.”

Asked about the Narendra Modi wave in Assam, he said it would be known in due time.

Purno Sangma was accompanied by his daughter Agatha, his legislator son James, Tura South MLA John Leslee K. Sangma and other party functionaries.

A debutant in politics, Momin, 27, is an MBA from Bond University in Australia.

Momin sounded very confident as he said, “I am not at all scared to take on Purno Sangma.”

Sangma looked cheerful, as he was welcomed with garlands by his supporters. “I am confident that Garo hills will vote to free India from the Congress,” he said.

The last date for filing nomination is tomorrow, till 3pm. Scrutiny will be held on Monday and the last date of withdrawal of candidature is March 26.

In Tripura, CPM candidate Jiten Chowdhury, who has resigned as minister for rural development, industry and forest, filed his nomination for the East Tripura (ST) seat to district magistrate and collector of Dhalai, Prashant Kumar Goel, in Ambassa.

Chowdhury was accompanied by party workers and supporters, including his daughter Anwesha, 23, who returned from London recently, to take part in her father’s campaign.

After filing the nomination, Chowdhury addressed the party workers and supporters in the Jawharnagar ground at Ambassa.

Official sources in the office of district magistrate (Dhalai) said barring Jiten Chowdhury no other candidate has so far filed nomination.

Back in Assam, BJP’s Jorhat candidate Kamakhya Prasad Tasa and Trinamul candidate and lone woman in the fray in this seat, Ribulaya Gogoi, filed their nominations.

Hrishikesh Baruah, former general secretary of the Post Graduate Students’ Union of Gauhati University, filed his nomination from Lakhimpur as an Independent. He will fight against two major opponents —BJP Assam state president Sarbananda Sonowal and Congress candidate Ranee Narah.

In Meghalaya, Congress MP Vincent H. Pala was among the four nominees who filed their papers from Shillong.

Apart from Pala, who is the Congress candidate, the others include BJP candidate Shibun Lyngdoh, CPI nominee Richard D. Shabong, and Independent candidate Rev. P.B.M. Basaiawmoit. Until today, six nominations have been filed, which also include that of UDP candidate Paul Lyngdoh and AAP nominee Armerington Kharshiing.